Personnel Security Specialist

Clarification from the agency

Current or former permanent federal employees must have met a one-year probationary period or trial period in the competitive or excepted service. Applications will also be accepted from preference eligibles and veterans who are honorably discharged from the Armed Forces after completing at least 3 years of continuous active-duty service.

This position supports ASH in accomplishing mission critical responsibilities and key agency goals and objectives by implementing the requirements of the Personnel Security Program.  

As a developmental specialist, the incumbent performs a combination of routine, multiple, and varying assignments under the general direction of a manager or more experienced specialist.  He/she applies experience and detailed knowledge of the Personnel Security Program to plan and accomplish assignments.  As a developmental, the incumbent supports a more experienced specialist in the conduct of various program-related duties.  Typical assignments include, but are not limited to, the following: 

Assists in establishing the position sensitivity/risk level designation and the investigative requirements for agency positions.  Ensure the timely initiation of the appropriate investigations for all applicants, employees, and/or contractors to include the review of required documents and forms for accuracy, completeness, and clarity.   

Initiates and conducts additional inquiries/interviews of applicants, employees, and/or contractors as may be necessary.  Assists in establishing more complete data prior to do submission of forms to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) for investigation.  Assists in establishing administrative procedures to monitor the investigative process.  Maintains liaison with DCSA and with security offices of other government agencies and departments; Federal, state, and local law enforcement; and industrial security agencies to ensure expeditious accomplishments of investigations.   

Upon receipt from DCSA, reviews and analyzes investigations to determine whether the report contains derogatory or unfavorable information that must be resolved and/or whether there is sufficient information to make a determination as to the individual's suitability for employment and/or for issuance of a security clearance.  In consultation with a more experienced specialist, evaluates the significance of any derogatory information and conducts any needed investigations, including interview of the applicant, employee, or contractor, to obtain facts to clarify or mitigate the unfavorable information.   

Enters and updates investigation and security clearance information for agency personnel in the Investigations Tracking System (ITS).  Performs a variety of administrative and technical functions such as preparing reports relating to the program's status, exercising custodial responsibility for personnel security case files, and conducting security briefings and debriefings.   

Established policies/procedures provide guidance for most assignments but allow some discretion for the employee to select the most appropriate approach.  Refers problems and work issues to a manager or senior specialist when guidelines are not available or applicable.  Work typically is reviewed frequently during assignments and at completion to ensure timeliness, policy compliance, and alignment with the requirements of projects and/or other work activities. 

 Performs other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must submit an SF50 (See Required Documents).
• Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
• This position is Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk. Candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
• Please review How to Apply, Required Documents & Additional Information.

Qualifications

Reference OPM Qualification Standard for Administrative and Management Positions.

To qualify for this position at the FV-G (FG/GS-10/11) level you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-F (FG/GS-5-9) in the federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Specialized Experience: Experience that demonstrates the ability to analyze problems, identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; experience planning and organizing work; communicate effectively orally and in writing; and deal effectively with others in person-to-person situations. Such experience may have been gained in administrative, professional, technical, investigative, or other responsible work.  

Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their work history.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.

KSA Information:

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA); Leadership and Management Dimensions; and Other Factors in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) or other factors listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or priority grouping and referred to the selecting official for consideration.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Current or Former Federal employee (including a current FAA employee): You MUST submit a copy of your most recent (non-award) SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, or equivalent document that verifies tenure (block 24, code 1 or 2). Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in non-consideration for this position.

Applicants claiming eligibility for the Expanded Veterans Hiring Opportunity (EVHO), MUST submit a DD Form 214 reflecting character of service to verify eligibility by the closing date of the announcement as requested by the Human Resource Office. Eligibility for EVHO will be considered based on applicable documentation submitted by the closing date.

If you are a current or former Federal employee (including a current FAA employee), you MUST provide a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) containing information in Blocks 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, and 24 so it can be used to verify your position title, series, grade, tenure, and organization of record by the closing date of the announcement. You may fax your SF-50 or upload it into the on-line application. If faxing the SF-50, please ensure you include the vacancy announcement number on the faxed copy.

If you are a current Federal employee and need a current copy of your SF-50, please contact your personnel office. If you are an FAA employee, you can access and print your SF-50 from the eOPF system https://eopf.opm.gov/dot/. If you are a former Federal employee, you can obtain a copy of your SF-50 by writing the National Personnel Records Center Annex, 1411 Boulder Boulevard, Valmeyer, IL 62295. Additional information is available from this link: https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/opf.

Expanded Veterans Hiring Opportunity (EVHO) are preference eligibles and veterans who are honorably discharged from the Armed Forces after completing at least three (3) years of continuous active service. Applicants claiming eligibility for EVHO, MUST submit a DD Form 214 reflecting character of service to verify eligibility by the closing date of the announcement as requested by the Human Resource Office. Eligibility for EVHO will be considered based on applicable documentation submitted by the closing date.

Next steps